Honoring America's Veterans High School Essay Competition

This year's theme is Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans, Sacrifice Remembered

Congratulations to the Essay Competition Winners for 2024

Honoring America’s Veterans announces the winners of the 2024 High School Essay Competition. More than 140 high school students entered the contest, which required students to write a 300-400 word essay based on the theme of both the essay competition and the Phoenix Veterans Day Parade, “Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans. Sacrifice remembered”.

Daniel Scripter

Welcome Home, Vietnam Veterans

Daniel Scripter, Grade 9

Teacher Talia Polk, San Tan Charter

I interviewed my grandfather, Robert Scripter, a Vietnam veteran. From February 1970 until December 1971, he served in the U.S. Army with his last rank as Sergeant E5, Military Occupation Series (MOS) Code 11B40 light weapons infantry.

He received an Honorable Discharge, a Bronze Star medal, a Combat Infantryman badge, a Vietnam Campaign medal, and a Vietnam Service medal. For the first three months while in Vietnam, he was part of the 25th Infantry Division. He was involved with various missions west of Saigon, along the Cambodian border, in an area called Elephant's Ear. He did clearing and sweeping of small villages, clearing the Michelin Rubber Plantation with a company-size unit of US tanks while checking and searching routes from the Ho Chi Minh trail. He was a point man, radio man, and squad leader.

For the last nine months, he was in the 23rd Infantry Division, also known as the Americal Division. At that time, he was involved with various missions south of the demilitarized zone, west of Da Nang, along the Laos border. He did the clearing and sweeping of small villages and guarded evacuation routes of the Khe Sahn U.S. base. He also did rescue missions for downed US helicopters, etc. His duties were as a M60 machine gun squad leader and platoon leader.

When he returned to the U.S. from Vietnam, he was stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado, as a communications chief for a company of Armored Personnel Carriers. He assigned specialists to do communication management on the Armored Personnel Carriers.

My grandpa said when he returned home, it was a very sad reception received by veterans from most US citizens everywhere. There was no respect for soldiers, and they were treated very poorly. The U.S. and world news organizations reported the worst stories possible in newspapers and on television. There were very few job opportunities available to them. He said it was a very unpopular war; our soldiers were thought of as baby killers and drug addicts. He remembers some soldiers would change out of their uniforms when traveling home to avoid being recognized at airports and train stations.

Today, he said the American military veteran is treated well, even the old Vietnam veterans like himself. He said it seemed to be a long time coming, and now the veterans are shown much respect and are usually greeted with, “Thank you for your service.” He said he is sure that no matter what happened back then or now, US veterans would still do what they had to do for the love of their country, families, and our freedom.

Daniel Beard

Compassion for Those Who Faced Savagery

Daniel Beard, Grade 10

Teacher Lisa Ristuccia, Inspiration Academy

President Obama once addressed Vietnam veterans, saying, “You were often blamed
for a war you didn’t start when you should have been commended for serving your
country with valor. You came home and sometimes were denigrated when you should
have been celebrated.”

Men in the Vietnam War were commanded to do horrible things to the citizens of
Vietnam, leading to most being haunted by the things they had done. What makes this
more sad is the fact that some of the U.S. soldiers did not choose to be a part of this
war and instead were drafted or had little choice of education outside of the military
and were motivated by that incentive. The soldiers' training leading up to the war was
vigorous and demeaning, and it caused people to lose the sense of who they were
before they even enlisted.

More than three million people died in the war, and 58,000 U.S. soldiers were a part of that three million. Over 22,000 U.S. Vietnam veterans died by suicide after the war, which is nearly half of the number of those who died in combat. The vicious things acted out throughout the war left U.S. and Vietnamese citizens and soldiers dead and mentally or physically damaged for senseless reasons.

The harm that was done to the U.S. soldiers, both tangible and intangible, is
unforgivable. The things that the soldiers went through led to multiple outcomes,
including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, guilt, depression, and injuries such as missing limbs, scars, and more. These things have made their everyday lives much more difficult.

The Vietnam War, a war that should have never happened, left lasting scars on our
world. The people on the ground were part of terrible and horrible acts that will never be forgotten. The reception U.S. soldiers got when they came home was unfair and
misdirected. We should remember them and their survival through the evil situation they were put in. These were young, naive men who ended up paying a price with their lives and minds. They were stripped of their individuality only to come home and be held
individually responsible for actions of war. It’s easy to place blame our neighbors for our leaders' actions. Instead let’s help our veteran soldiers know that we see them as those that faced the ugliness of humanity, so we didn’t have to.

Olivia Fray

Wendy Soto

There are no unwounded soldiers in war

Wendy Soto, Grade 12

Teacher Michelle Wagner, Maryville High School

"There are no unwounded soldiers in war." These words by José Narosky echo the deep scars carried by soldiers after the war ended. Vietnam War veterans experienced one unique experience during and after the war compared to anybody else. The Vietnam War which involved fighting between North and South Vietnam. The United States supported South Vietnam to halt the spread of communism for the period between 1955-1975. These veterans should be celebrated because of their first-hand experience with courage, strength, and suffering during and after the war.

The Vietnam War was one of the longest and most controversial wars in American history. This means that intervention on the part of the United States was motivated from the standpoint of it being the "principle" to intervene, which would be aimed at stopping the spread of communism throughout Southeast Asia. More than 2.7 million Americans served in Vietnam, many of them through draft inductions. It was hard in Vietnam with the guerrilla, relief, and tropics, making every day in the life of a soldier problematic. Some got injured, while some remained with psychological traumas from the combat. The people's opinion was mounting against the war, even in the U.S., causing protests against any further opposition. On returning home after their missions, most veterans were received with hostility, and little support had afforded them, further harming the problems experienced by these military personnel in the battlefield (Britannica Kids).

Honoring the veterans of the Vietnam War means realizing their sacrifices not only in battle but even many years after the war has been over. Post-traumatic stress disorder is obvious in many of these veterans who came back with physical wounds and emotional scars. The political climate of the war was such that little respect could be paid to these soldiers. Now, as we look back into their sacrifices, the bravery of these men and the price that they had to pay for serving their country must be recognized.

In conclusion, the courage and sacrifices made on and off the battlefield by Vietnam War veterans should be remembered. Such priceless service for the nation against the challenge that they had to face during and after the war can never be minimized. Their character was just one of many constant reminders of what kind of war really comes at a cost and a sacrifice.

Competition details:

Students must attend an Arizona high school in grades 9-12.
Homeschooled students of high school age are also eligible.
Entries must be 350-400 words long.
Entries must be submitted online on the Honoring America’s Veterans website.
Submission must include information on the form below and your essay in an attachment (doc, pdf, etc.)
Essays are DUE SEPT. 11th!

Winners Receive:

Cash prizes ($250.00) to each first-place winner in grades 9-12.
Cash prizes ($250.00) for your classroom teacher.
The announcement of you as the essay winner when you ride in the HAV Phoenix Veterans Day Parade.
Your winning essay printed in the parade program, and other souvenirs

Competition details:

Students must be currently attending an Arizona high school in grades 9-12.
Homeschooled students of high school age are also eligible.
Entries must be 350-400 words long.
Entries must be submitted online on the Honoring America’s Veterans website.
Entries must be submitted by September 11, 2024.
Submission needs to include information on the form below and your essay in an attachment (doc, pdf, etc.).

Winners Receive:

Cash prizes ($250.00) to each first-place winner in grades 9-12.
Cash prizes ($250.00) for your classroom teacher.
The announcement of you as the essay winner when you ride in the Honoring America’s Veterans Phoenix Veterans Day Parade.
Your winning essay printed in the parade program, and other souvenirs.

Entries will be judged on the quality of the story and its impact, writing and grammar, and adherence to the theme.

This year's theme is Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans,
Sacrifice Remembered

We are no longer accepting essay entries and would like to thank everyone from across the state who submitted their amazing essay!

All submitted essays become the property of Honoring America’s Veterans.

THANK YOU

We salute our veteran’s and their loved ones in thanks for their patriotism & service to our country.

Honoring America's Veterans High School Essay Competition

This year's theme is Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans, Sacrifice Remembered

Congratulations to the Essay Competition Winners for 2024

Competition details:

Winners Receive:

Competition details:

Winners Receive:

This year's theme is Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans,
Sacrifice Remembered

THANK YOU